Italy approves device that prevents the car from starting if the driver exceeds the alcohol limit

Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini has signed the decree defining the features and installation methods for the ' Alcolock ,' a device that prevents the vehicle from starting if the driver fails a breathalyzer test. Those who have previously been fined for driving under the influence of alcohol must install it.

The system, one of the most significant new features of the new highway code in force since last December, has the main objective of "discouraging driving under the influence of alcohol and increasing road safety," the Ministry of Transport said in a statement Wednesday night.

The text approved by Salvini, who is also vice president of the government led by the far-right Giorgia Meloni, provides precise guidelines for authorized installation workshops and users of the system, ensuring that the engine only starts if the blood alcohol level is zero.

The new Highway Code requires drivers who have already been fined for driving with a blood alcohol level above 0.8 g/l to install the "Alcolock." This makes it a key measure for repeat offenders, who will only be able to drive vehicles with this device installed, the ministry explains.

The decree establishes that the new device can be installed "in different categories of vehicles intended for the transport of people and goods, and must comply with the standards of European Union legislation, with specific obligations for manufacturers, who must provide detailed instructions for its installation, use, and maintenance."

"In the event of a roadside check, the driver must show the original installation declaration and the valid calibration certificate for the device ," the ministry concludes.

Salvini is the driving force behind the new highway code, which increases fines for driving while using a cell phone or under the influence of alcohol, with fines ranging from 2,170 euros (about $2,290) and a three- to six-month license suspension if the blood alcohol level is between 0.5 and 0.8 grams per liter.

Penalties increase with prison terms of between six months and one year and fines of up to 6,000 euros ($6,337), as well as a suspension of driving licenses for between one and two years if the blood alcohol level is above 1.5.

The "Salvini Code" also tightens, among other things, rules for the use of electric scooters, for those abandoning animals on the road, and for those parking in parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities, as well as in bus lanes or stops.